This invention relates to a bin employing a portion control device for regulating the quantity of material dispensed. The invention also relates to a bin that dispenses material on a first-in-first-out basis.
Self serve dispensers have become increasingly popular throughout the country. These dispensers allow consumers to purchase select amounts of product by pouring bulk material from a storage bin into a receptacle, usually a paper bag provided by the retailer. In this way, consumers are not limited by prepackaged products, manufacturers need not prepackage their goods for purchase by the consumer, and grocery stores are able to stock more product in limited spaces. The dispensers are now widely accepted in the distribution and sale of coffee, candy, beans, nuts, bolts, nails and other products that are easily sold in loose form.
Among the most common dispensers currently employed in grocery stores is the upright bin which relies upon the force of gravity to dispense a product through a gated opening that is selectively opened and closed by a consumer. In use, the consumer generally places a bag beneath a gated outlet and opens the gate to release the items stored within the bin of the dispenser. Once the gate is opened, the product freely flows out of the bin, through the open gate and into the bag placed below the opening.
One problem with gates employed in such dispensers is that they rely upon a single barrier to control the flow of product from the bin. As a consequence when the gate is jostled even slightly, the bin outlet of the dispenser is opened and product begins to freely flow from the bin. Even slight movements of the gate are often enough to cause the product to flow freely. Often this causes the product to end up on the floor of the store as waste because the consumer may be unprepared for the immediate product flow. Even when consumers intentionally open the gate, they may be unprepared for pace of product flow. This is particularly the case when the bin is at capacity and the force pushing product through the open gate is highest. The result is an increased incidence of the consumer either overfilling their bag, or inadvertently spilling some of the goods flowing from the dispenser.
As such, a need exits for a dispenser capable of distributing loose items, while also providing a substantial amount of control to the consumer dispensing the product from the dispenser. The present invention provides a portion control device and dispensing system which provides such control to consumers.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a portion control device including a top-slide and a bottom-slide for controlling the amount of material selected to be dispensed from a bin, of the type wherein the bin includes a spout assembly through which the material freely flows when a bottom-slide opening is pulled into position. The top-slide is connected to the bottom-slide by a spring. The bottom-slide has a handle that extends to the exterior of the bin. When the bottom-slide handle is pulled forward by a consumer both the top-slide and the bottom-slide move forward horizontally with respect to the bin. The lead-end of the top-slide cuts through the material in the bin and comes to rest on the interior face of the front bin wall blocking the material above the top-slide from moving downward to the spout assembly. The bottom slide-handle and the top-slide therefore form a chamber that holds a select amount of material. The bottom-slide continues to be pulled until an opening in the bottom-slide aligns with openings in the bottom of the portion chamber and the spout assembly. Product that is contained in the portion chamber may then be deposited in a receptacle.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a portion control device where one wall of the portion chamber is adjustable. This feature of the invention allows the operator of the bin to control the amount of product dispensed at any one time. In addition certain items that have a tendency to adhere to one another may require a larger portion chamber to prevent the product from bridging the opening to the portion chamber.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a flow regulator. The flow of product may be controlled by the size and shape of opening that is aligned with the portion chamber and the spout assembly. In addition, greater control of product flow stems from isolating a small portion of the contents of the bin effectively reducing the weight of product generating force acting to push product through the bottom-slide opening.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a dispensing mechanism for rotating product introduced to the bin on a first-in-first-out basis wherein the bin includes a wedge that directs product introduced to the bin to the portion chamber. The wedge descends from the rear wall of the bin to about the lead end of the top-slide and terminates at the portion control chamber. The position of the wedge allows newly introduced product to rest upon previously introduced product such that the previously introduced product must exit first through the spout assembly.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which set forth certain embodiments of the invention.